FAQ

If you file a lawsuit, will we go to trial?
It depends.  Here at LBK, we are known as being experienced trial lawyers who like to try lawsuits before juries - but our client's best interests come first, and we always try to resolve the dispute through settlement, if possible, before trial time.  This may happen in informal settlement negotiations, or through the more formal methods of mediation or arbitration.   Most of our cases are resolved by settlement and do not go to trial.

How long before we go to trial?
This will depend upon the case, and the court in which the case is filed.  State court cases reach trial before federal matters do.  There is no easy answer to this question.

If there is a trial, do I have to be there?
Yes.  It is very important that you attend trial every day, and also schedule time to be available to your attorneys before the start of trial each morning and after the judge has released us for the day, in the evenings.   We will try to give you as much advanced notice as possible, of course.

How does a case settle?
To fully settle a claim, documentation must be prepared, reviewed and approved by all parties, and signed.  Settlement checks are not dispersed until all the settlement contracts are finalized.  The time when one receives a settlement check entirely depends upon the circumstances of that case. For example, in order to settle a wrongful death case, the settlement must first be approved by the Court after the plaintiff's attorney files a petition to approve the settlement. However, in injury cases that do not result in death or does not involve a minor beneficiary or incompetent beneficiary, no petition is needed.

For information about legal fees and expenses, please review Fees & Costs.

For information about any LBK attorney, please review the Attorney Bios.